Various "experts" in their fields are making predictions for 2018. Rather than put out a big laundry list, I will hold my list to a maximum of three:

1. Trump Administration: Trump will not be impeached, but Jared Kushner will be indicted.

2. Economy: Stock market will continue to rise but more slowly. The effect of lower corporate taxes has already largely been incorporated into the market trends.

3.2018 Elections: Democrats will make substantial gains in local, state and federal elections, but will fall a bit short of retaking Congress. To accomplish that goal would require them to hold onto the 24 Senate seats that they currently hold plus taking at least two of the eight Republican Senate seats up for reelection. They would also have to take away 24 House seats from Republicans. My pessimism stems from the fact that Dems will not focus on the issues, but rather get caught up in purity tests of liberal/progressives, and will continue to be consumed by Trump tweets and rhetoric. Oh and Roy Moore will never concede.

Yes, I hate the idea that any money goes to that wall regardless of what happens to the Dreamers. Republicans will seek to "trade" for some of our most basic needs... children's health care, DACA, Medicare and Medicaid, rebuilding Puerto Rico and more. All those programs will be "on the table" as Republicans seek to increase military spending, build Trump's wall, and do any kind of meaningful infrastructure spending that requires taxpayer dollars. They will holler about the deficits and deficit spending on any programs to help the poor and middle class.

Schmidt Wrote: Yes, I hate the idea that any money goes to that wall regardless of what happens to the Dreamers. Republicans will seek to "trade" for some of our most basic needs... children's health care, DACA, Medicare and Medicaid, rebuilding Puerto Rico and more. All those programs will be "on the table" as Republicans seek to increase military spending, build Trump's wall, and do any kind of meaningful infrastructure spending that requires taxpayer dollars. They will holler about the deficits and deficit spending on any programs to help the poor and middle class.

I hope the "people' here wake up in 2018 and revolt. Forget "infrastructure" especially if it adds to the already increased GOP created deficit. They likely will "retrieve" such "money" from the social/welfare services money, which will then be cut to the bone. I hope the Dem's are using their brains for change and don't fall for Trump's "trade" propositions, which he likely will reverse anyway after they (Dem's) fall for it.

The media will again play a role in what will happen. They continuously kept pounding that Trump was going to loose and that kept people home because too many thought it was in the bag. The problem with the mid terms is that it is not as sexy as the presidential election and therefore likely to have the same low voter turn out as always. The democrats have to formulate the right message to get people out and make them understand that this is not just another mid term. This is quite possibly the biggest election in one’s lifetime. That might get people out and if so I disagree with the predictions. Trump put a lot of stock in corporate America generating good paying jobs with the tax cuts. They might say screw you and run easy with the money. If so that will leave a nasty taste in suburban and working class mouths. It is too early to make a good prediction.

Trump will buy a lot of souls. GDP making gains. DOW making gains. The basket of Deplorables may get bigger with continued improvement in GDP. Loudmouth in Chief will dominate the airwaves with highlights of economic improvements overshadowing cuts to children health insurance and increasing number of uninsured. Soundbyte campaign of economic highlights may dominate 2018 elections in favor of Trump.

Truth in the wings of RussiaGate, Sexual Harassment, unethical practices in general , correction to fake DOW, overestimating foreign policy are potentially single areas that can take the Trump administration down. The positive economic news albeit wrong reasons is a big windfall for Trump.

Several republican congressmen will distance themselves from the tax bill as it becomes more and more unpopular. More than enough of them in both Senate\House that the bill would never have passed by either..

And in many cases, they have already have political talking points about why they feel the bill was bad for the middle class, but felt they needed to to vote for it anyway. "Now that I have had more time, the Tax bill should have...."

BTW, it will all be detailed in trump's upcoming book: "Deny and Deflect- The Art of winning by not taking responsibility"

The CEO's of many huge corporations who do road work, bridges and other infrastructure projects will be recipient of massive spending projects that will enrich them and their share holders. Costs will escalate when profits are not enough and ultimately the tax payers can further enrich the wealthy.

They have probably been dining at Mar Lago repeatedly. Trump will be discreetly compensated as well because you have to pay to play.

Trump will explain how his thoughtful wisdom and leadership led to safe roads, bridge's and water lines.

T.J. I think the "infrastructure project" will be an disaster; Trump does not want to spent government money on it, unless he can retrieve such via cutting all social services. He already said he wants infrastructure done via the private market. This won't work because States won't have the money either. So in the end may be "one" project may succeed on which Trump then can boast that he has done an fantastic, tremendous job etc.

Yes I agree with you; however the biggest problem will be Trump himself ; he may "loose it" and push the "button"

Before it goes that far, I believe he will loose it and say something that he can't take back. Think of the backlash if he were to get pissed off and say "I am sick and tired hearing n*ggers like Obama say...."

and as we know, he never backs away from what he said; he'll double down on his statement and retaliate against anyone who publicly denounces his racist remarks.

What remains to be seen is how he deals with trump. Does Romney take on trump just like he did as private citizen, or does he back away and and become another milktoast Republican with the official Republican response: "I support the president, but sometimes we politely disagree on a few details"

If he plans on running again for president in 2020, he'll take on trump, otherwise Romney will be a trump republican that has no backbone.

Regarding infrastructure, I am inclined to believe it will not happen except for some token projects where there is a public-private partnership in which the taxpayers assume the risks and the private sector reaps the rewards. Trump will trump these as examples of how he is making America great again.

The "trillion dollar" investment in infrastructure is a pipe dream. It cannot happen now with the Trump budget. If we want infrastructure investment, cuts will have to be made somewhere else...Medicaid, Medicare and social security being at the top of the list of things to cut.

But this being an election year, nothing more will happen. Trump will tout his tax cuts again and again using real people and their "success stories" as props at his rallies. Trump is in campaign mode, and this is an election year where nothing meaningful happens in a big way except perhaps in foreign policy...North Korea perhaps.